Don't Let This Happen in Batavia

You hear it every year from city officials in Batavia: Don't, don't, don't rake your leaves into the street. 

Think it's idle chatter? Take a look at the photo from Elmhurst Patch attached to this article.

Elmhurst is experiencing flooding due to clogged storm sewers. The problem is to the point where some streets are full of water and the city is issuing instructions on how residents can get out there and unplug the sewer grates themselves.

"Although the city of Elmhurst has been using three street sweepers constantly since the leaves began falling, heavy rain causes additional leaf drop and washes the leaves into the street drains," according to a message on the city's website. "City crews are unable to clear all of the 7,000 street inlets during storm events, so help from residents can be very beneficial."

Elmhurst residents say they panic every time it rains and "won't leave their homes for any length of time for fear of flooding," according to the article by Karen Chadra.

The city of Batavia's Residential Leaf Collection Program began Oct. 14. A second round took place Oct. 28 for west side residents and is coming up Nov. 4 for east side residents.

Leaves should be raked to curb by 6 a.m. on the Monday of your scheduled week.  

The leaf collection program provides every resident with three collection opportunities, weather permitting. Please follow the guidelines below, provided by the city of Batavia:

• Rake leaves to the space in the parkway between the curb and about 6 feet back from curb by 6 a.m. on the Monday of your scheduled week. Leaves will be collected in designated areas, rain or shine. Crews will not return to an area once they have made one pass during the scheduled weeks. If crews pass your home before your leaves are out, the leaves may not be picked up for two more weeks.

• Per city ordinance, do not rake leaves into the street as this can create an unsafe driving surface and clogged storm drains, which can cause flooding. Raking leaves into a long windrow, rather than a large pile, will expedite the process. Please note that residents whose homes back up to an alley must still place leaves in their front parkway.

• Do not pile your leaves around obstacles such as mailboxes, utility poles/boxes, hydrants, trees, and sign posts.

• Limbs/brush should be placed in a separate pile for collection and may not be combined with leaf piles, as this damages the equipment. Limbs/brush should only be placed at the curb if there is a scheduled collection. The final citywide brush collection will be done the week of Dec. 2 for both sides of town.

Collections begin on Mondays at 6 a.m. according to the proposed schedule. Updates showing daily progress will be posted in the News section of the city's website once the program begins. 

Click here for more details about the program, including daily progress while the program is under way, or call the Street Division of Batavia Public Works at 630-454-2400.